Scrappy Wildcats fight to finish for win

With just one win seven games deep into a 10-game season, it would’ve been easy for Central High School to sleepwalk through the motions against Harrison on Thursday night.

Pueblo Central High School's Andre Bustamante (38), trips up Harrison High School quarterback, Justin Davis near the line of scrimmage during second quarter action Thursday night October 17, 2013 at Dutch Clark Stadium in Pueblo, Colo. (Bryan Kelsen, The Pueblo Chieftain)

But the Wildcats showed some grit and fight, paying homage to the legends who came before them.

“It didn’t matter who we sent out there, or what grade they were in, they were going to play hard tonight,” Wildcats head coach Zach Odell said after his team beat the Panthers 20-14 in a Class 3A Southern League game.

The Wildcats (2-6, 1-2) started six sophomores and were missing several key players who were out with injuries.

But they have been playing football at Central since 1892 and like the many blue-collar teams before them, these Wildcats weren’t going out without a fight.

“I had to put this team on my back and I told coach I wanted the ball,” said Central running back Nikko Valdez, who finished with 168 yards rushing and one touchdown.

It didn’t matter that a bunch of sophomores were blocking for him, or that a sophomore was handing the ball off.

“I’m only a junior and last year’s team had to have patience with me being young,” Valdez said. “I needed to pick these guys up and help them learn. That’s how I got better and how they’ll get better.”

Sophomore quarterback Michael Ranson threw for one touchdown (a nice 21-yarder to tight end Andre Bustamante) and ran for another as the Wildcats celebrated their homecoming with a victory.

But they also showed their youth.

Isaiah Servantes picked off a Harrison pass and returned it to the Harrison 4, but fumbled and the Panthers recovered.

Ranson took a quarterback draw 56 yards to the Harrison 3, but fumbled and the Panthers (2-6, 1-2) recovered again.

And the Wildcats were flagged for nearly 100 yards in penalties.

“We showed our youth at times. They’re still kids — all of them,” Odell said. “But our defense shut them out in the second half and played physical football. They will grow from that.”